System and method of providing recommendations

ABSTRACT

A method of providing recommendations is disclosed and includes receiving a selection of an offering via an online site. The method also includes outputting a detail page related to the offering via the online site. The detail page includes a first selectable indicator corresponding to a social network of a visitor and a second selectable indicator corresponding to unfiltered content. The method also includes outputting at least one recommendation via the detail page. Each recommendation is associated with a member of the social network when input received via the online site indicates a selection of the first selectable indicator.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/620,633, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONSUSING SOCIAL NETWORKS, and filed Sep. 14, 2012; which is a continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/169,841, entitled SYSTEM ANDMETHOD OF PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS, and filed Jun. 27, 2011, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,271,352; which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/854,506, entitled METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER READABLEMEDIUM FOR OUTPUTTING OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF A SOCIALNETWORK, and filed Sep. 12, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,970,665, theentireties of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is generally related to providing recommendationsrelated to offerings available for purchase via an online site.

Products, services, subscriptions, and other offerings are available viaonline sites. Online sites can provide recommendations of similar orrelated products based on what other customers have purchased or viewed.Nonetheless, these generic recommendations may not be effective topersuade a visitor to the online site to make a purchase. For example,the use of generic recommendations can often produce lists ofrecommendations that are too long to be useful to the visitor. Hence,there is a need for an improved system and method of providingrecommendations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a particular embodiment of a system toprovide recommendations;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a particular embodiment of a method ofproviding recommendations;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a second particular embodiment of a methodof providing recommendations;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a particular embodiment of a graphical userinterface to provide recommendations;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a second particular embodiment of a graphicaluser interface to provide recommendations;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a third particular embodiment of a graphical userinterface to provide recommendations; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a particular embodiment of a graphical userinterface to adjust ratings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A system to provide recommendations is disclosed and includes a serversystem having processing logic and memory accessible to the processinglogic. The memory includes instructions executable by the processinglogic to provide an online site and receive input indicating a selectionof an offering via the online site. The memory also includesinstructions executable by the processing logic to output a detail pagevia the online site. The detail page including a first selectableindicator corresponding to content filtered by a social network and asecond selectable indicator corresponding to unfiltered content.Further, the memory includes instructions executable by the processinglogic to output at least one recommendation via the detail page. Eachrecommendation is associated with a member of a social network wheninput is received indicating a selection of the first selectableindicator.

In another particular embodiment, a method of providing recommendationsis disclosed and includes receiving a selection of an offering via anonline site. The method also includes outputting a detail page relatedto the offering via the online site. The detail page includes a firstselectable indicator corresponding to a social network of a visitor anda second selectable indicator corresponding to unfiltered content. Themethod also includes outputting at least one recommendation via thedetail page. Each recommendation is associated with a member of thesocial network when input received via the online site indicates aselection of the first selectable indicator.

In another particular embodiment, a computer-readable medium isdisclosed having processor-readable instructions that are executable byprocessing logic to perform a method. The method comprises providing anonline site to a visitor and receiving input indicating a selection ofan offering via the online site; outputting a detail page via the onlinesite, the detail page including a plurality of selectable indicatorscorresponding to a plurality of recommendation filtering options; andoutputting at least one recommendation via the detail page, where the atleast one recommendation is associated with one of the plurality ofrecommendation filtering options.

Referring to FIG. 1, a particular embodiment of a system to providerecommendations is illustrated and designated generally 100. The system100 includes a server system 102 that is adapted to provide an onlinesite offering goods, services, subscriptions, other offerings, or anycombination thereof, for purchase via an Internet Protocol (IP) network130, such as the Internet. The IP network 130 can be accessible tovarious computers, such as a visitor computer 132, other devices, suchas a web-enabled mobile communication device, or any combinationthereof.

In one embodiment, the server system 102 includes a single computerserver, such as a web server. Alternatively, the server system 102includes multiple servers that independently or redundantly includelogic and memory adapted to provide one or more functions with respectto fulfilling electronic commerce-based transactions. The server system102 includes processing logic 104, such as one or more processors, andmemory 106 that is accessible to the processing logic 104. The serversystem 102 also includes at least one network interface 108 tofacilitate communication between the server system 102 and the IPnetwork 130.

The memory 106 can include various modules 110-122 that are adapted toprovide various functions of the server system 102 with respect toproviding recommendations. The modules 110-122 can includeprocessor-readable instructions that are executable by the processinglogic 104, such as instructions included in one or more applications,operating systems, or other computer programs. In other embodiments, themodules 110-122 can include any combination of instructions and hardwarelogic.

For example, the memory 106 includes a site module 110 that isexecutable by the processing logic 104 to provide an online site via theIP network 130. The online site offers an electronic catalog ofproducts, services, subscriptions, other offerings, or any combinationthereof, to customers or other visitors. The memory 106 includes acatalog module 112 to store data related to the products, services,subscriptions, other offerings, or any combination thereof, that areoffered via the online site. In one embodiment, the site module 110 isexecutable by the processing logic 104 to provide a search process viathe online site, which allows visitors to search the data stored by thecatalog module 112 and which returns one or more search results inresponse to a search request.

The memory also includes a visitor data store 113 to store dataindicating offerings purchased, viewed, recommended, reviewed, or anycombination thereof, by customers and other visitors to the online site.The data can be stored in association with each visitor, in one or moreaggregations, or any combination thereof.

The memory includes a social network database 114 to store socialnetwork information associated with various customers or other visitorsthat are registered with the online site. For example, when a visitorregisters with the online site, the website module 110 is executable bythe processing logic 104 to prompt the visitor for contact informationassociated with one or more members of a social network that is to beassociated with the visitor. Such contact information can include namesor other identifications, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, mobilephone numbers, IP addresses, other contact information, or anycombination thereof. The website module 110 is executable by theprocessing logic 104 to receive contact information that is entered viathe visitor computer 132. Further, the website module 110 is executableby the processing logic 104 to import the contact information from acontact list at the visitor computer 132, from an address book or othercontact list at a customer phone, from an online social networking siteor other additional site provided by the IP network 130, or anycombination thereof. The social network database 114 can store one ormore social networks associated with a visitor. In an illustrativeembodiment, members of social networks can overlap.

The memory 106 include a query module 116 that is executable by theprocessing logic 104 to query the social network database 114 toidentify one or more social networks associated with a visitor, inresponse to a selection of a product or offering via the online site. Inaddition, the memory 106 includes a graphical user interface (GUI)module 116 that is executable by the processing logic 104 to providevarious graphical user interfaces including interactive graphicalelements via the online site. For example, the GUI module 116 can beexecutable by the processing logic 104 to provide a detail page, such asa product-detail page, via the online site in response to a selection ofa product from search results or another page of the online site. TheGUI module 116 is executable by the processing logic 104 to include withthe detail page a plurality of selectable indicators corresponding tovarious recommendation filters.

For instance, at least one selectable indicator corresponds torecommendations based on one or more social networks associated with thevisitor, as identified via the query module 116. Another selectableindicator corresponds to unfiltered recommendations that do not excluderegistered users of the online site that are outside the socialnetwork(s) associated with the visitor. Yet another selectable indicatorcorresponds to mixed results that include recommendations based on oneor more social networks and unfiltered recommendations. Still anotherselectable indicator corresponds to extended recommendations thatinclude members of other social networks, where the other socialnetworks are associated with members of the visitor's social network(s).Another selectable indicator corresponds to profile-basedrecommendations, such as recommendations based on behavior of customersor other visitors that share purchasing history, viewing history,demographic data, or any combination thereof, with the visitor. Examplesof such detail pages are illustrated in FIGS. 4-6.

The memory 106 includes a recommendation module 120 that is executableby the processing logic 104 to generate recommendations related to aproduct or other offering selected by a visitor and to output therecommendations via a detail page. The recommendation module 120 isexecutable by the processing logic 104 to determine the recommendationsbased on offerings that are viewed, purchased, recommended, reviewed, orany combination thereof, by other visitors registered with the onlinesite, by one or more members of a social network associated with thevisitor, or according to other filters selected by the visitor.

For instance, recommendations can include one or more indications that amember of a social network of the visitor purchased the offering; one ormore indications that a member of the social network of the visitorviewed the offering; reviews of the offering from members of the socialnetwork that purchased the offering; one or more similar offeringsviewed or purchased by a member of the social network; one or morerelated offerings viewed or purchased by a member of the social network;or any combination thereof.

In another example, recommendations can include similar offeringspurchased by visitors outside the social network who viewed the offeringselected by the visitor; similar offerings viewed by such othervisitors; related offerings purchased by such other visitors (e.g.,memory purchased by customers that purchased a digital camera); relatedofferings viewed by such other visitors; or any combination thereof. Inanother embodiment, the recommendations can be output as aggregates,such as products purchased by members of a certain social network whoalso purchased the offering viewed by the visitor. Examples ofrecommendations are illustrated in FIGS. 5-6.

In a particular embodiment, the memory 106 includes a feedback module122 that is executable by the processing logic 104 to receive ratingsfrom a visitor associated with the social network that includes themembers whose recommendation is output via the online site. For example,the ratings can indicate a level of trust associated with a member ingeneral, with respect to a product category (e.g., Art is trusted highlyregarding electronics), with respect to other factors, or anycombination thereof. Ratings can be stored in association with memberdata at the social network database 114 and can be output with futureresponsive data received from the member and output to the visitor thatdesignated the trust level or other rating.

Referring to FIG. 2, a flow diagram of a particular embodiment of amethod of providing recommendations is illustrated. At block 200, aserver system provides an online site to a visitor, such as a customer,via a computing device, mobile phone, or other device. The online siteprovides a catalog of goods, services, subscriptions, other offerings,or any combination thereof, for purchase. Moving to block 202, theserver system receives a selection of an offering from the customer viathe online site. Proceeding to block 204, the server system identifiesat least one social network associated with the visitor.

Continuing to block 206, the server system displays a detail pagerelated to the offering via the online site. The detail page includes aplurality of selectable recommendation filtering indicators. Theindicators correspond to at least one social network of the visitor, tounfiltered recommendations, to extended recommendations, to mixedrecommendations, or any combination thereof. Examples of such indicatorsare illustrated in FIGS. 4-5. Advancing to block 208, the server systemreceives input indicating a selection of one of the recommendationfiltering indicators.

At decision 210, the server system determines whether the selectionindicates that recommendations are to be filtered. If therecommendations are not to be filtered, the method moves to block 211,and the server system outputs unfiltered recommendations to the visitorvia the detail page or another graphical user interface of the onlinesite. The method then terminates at 216.

Whereas, if recommendations are to be filtered, the method proceeds todecision node 212, and the server system determines whether the selectedfilter is a profile-based filter. If the selected filter is not aprofile-based filter, the method advances to 214. Conversely, if theselected filter is a profile-based filter, the method moves to block213, and the server system retrieves data related to other visitors whoshare profile attributes with the visitor, such as purchasing history,viewing history, demographic data, or any combination thereof. Further,the server system generates recommendations based on the retrieved data.At block 214, the server system outputs filtered recommendationscorresponding to the selected filtering indicator. The method terminatesat 216.

Referring to FIG. 3, a flow diagram of a second particular embodiment ofa method of providing recommendations is illustrated. At block 300, aserver system provides an online site to a visitor. The online siteprovides a catalog of goods, services, subscriptions, other offerings,or any combination thereof, for purchase. Moving to block 302, theserver system receives registration information from the visitor, suchas a name, contact information, credit information, other information toestablish an account, or any combination thereof. Proceeding to block304, the server system prompts the visitor for data related to one ormore social networks that are to be associated with the visitor. Forinstance, the server system prompts the visitor for contact informationof one or more members that are to be associated with the socialnetwork(s).

Continuing to decision 306, the server system determines whether it hasreceived a command to import social network data from another source,such as a computing device or mobile phone of the visitor, or fromanother online site, such as a social networking site. If the serversystem has received a command to import social network data from anothersource, the method advances to block 308, and the server system importsthe social network data from another source, such as another online siteor a visitor device. The method then moves to block 312. Conversely, ifthe server system does not receive a command to import social networkdata from another source, the method advances to block 310, and theserver system receives the social network from the visitor via a socialnetwork setup process provided via the online site. The method thenmoves to block 312.

Moving to block 312, the server system receives a selection of anoffering, such as a product, from the visitor via the online site.Proceeding to block 314, the server system identifies at least onesocial network associated with the visitor. Continuing to block 316, theserver system displays a detail page related to the offering, such as aproduct detail page, via the online site. The detail page includes aplurality of selectable recommendation filtering indicators. Theindicators correspond to at least one social network of the visitor, tounfiltered recommendations, to extended recommendations, to mixedrecommendations, or any combination thereof. Examples of such indicatorsare illustrated in FIGS. 5-6. Advancing to block 318, the server systemreceives input indicating a selection of one of the recommendationfiltering indicators.

At decision 320, the server system determines whether the selectionindicates that recommendations are to be filtered. If therecommendations are not to be filtered, the method moves to block 322,and the server system outputs unfiltered recommendations to the visitorvia the detail page or another graphical user interface of the onlinesite. Whereas, if recommendations are to be filtered, the methodproceeds to block 324, and the server system outputs filteredrecommendations corresponding to the selected filtering indicator.

Continuing to block 326, the server system determines whether to editrating information associated with one or more members whose responsivedata has been output via the product detail page. For instance, theserver system can determine whether it has received a request from thevisitor to designate ratings. Alternatively, the server system candetermine whether it has received input from the visitor indicatingwhether responsive data from a particular member was helpful or nothelpful, whereupon the server system can automatically adjust a ratingassociated with the particular member. If the server system determinesto edit rating information, the method advances to block 328, and theratings data is received and stored. The method terminates at 330.

In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein may be performed asdescribed. In other embodiments, certain aspects of the methods may beperformed in alternate sequences or simultaneously. In addition,registration, social network setup, selection of an offering, or anycombination thereof, may occur in a single session or in differentsessions with the online site. Further, while the methods are largelydescribed with reference to products, the methods may be applied toproducts, services, subscriptions, other online offerings, or anycombination thereof.

Referring to FIG. 4, a diagram of a particular embodiment of a graphicaluser interface (GUI) to provide recommendations is illustrated. The GUI400 includes a detail page related to a product 402. The detail pageincludes, for example, one or more images 404 associated with theproduct 402 and technical details or specifications 410 related to theproduct 402. In a particular embodiment, the GUI 400 includes arecommendation options region 406 that displays a plurality ofselectable indicators 408 corresponding to recommendation filteringoptions. The plurality of selectable indicators can correspond to atleast one social network of the visitor (e.g., photo club and outdoorsclub), to unfiltered recommendations, to extended recommendations, tomixed recommendations, to profile-based recommendations based onvisitors sharing common behaviors or demographic data with the visitor(e.g., “soul mates” tab), or any combination thereof.

Referring to FIG. 5, a diagram of a second particular embodiment of agraphical user interface (GUI) to provide recommendations isillustrated. The GUI 500 includes a detail page related to a product402. The detail page includes, for example, one or more images 404associated with the product 402. In a particular embodiment, the GUI 500includes a recommendation options region 406 that displays a pluralityof selectable indicators, such as tabs 507, corresponding to therecommendation filtering option indicators shown at 408 in FIG. 4. Theplurality of selectable tabs can correspond to at least one socialnetwork of the visitor (e.g., photo club and outdoors club), tounfiltered recommendations, to extended recommendations, to mixedrecommendations, to profile-based recommendations, or any combinationthereof.

Further, the GUI 500 includes recommendations corresponding to aselected indicator, such as the indicator corresponding to the outdoorsclub. Recommendations can include one or more indications that, inaggregate, members of the selected social network who purchased theoffering 402 also purchased one or more other offerings 508. Forexample, the recommendations can indicate that members of an outdoorsclub who purchased a digital camera also purchased batteries, memorymedia, video equipment, or any combination thereof. In an illustrativeembodiment, the recommendations can include an image 510 of eachrecommended offering.

Referring to FIG. 6, a diagram of a second particular embodiment of agraphical user interface (GUI) to provide recommendations isillustrated. The GUI 600 includes a detail page related to a product402. The detail page includes, for example, one or more images 404associated with the product 402. In a particular embodiment, the GUI 600includes a recommendation options region 406 that displays a pluralityof selectable indicators, such as tabs 507 corresponding to therecommendation filtering option indicators shown at 408 in FIG. 4. Theplurality of selectable tabs can correspond to at least one socialnetwork of the visitor (e.g., photo club and outdoors club), tounfiltered recommendations, to extended recommendations, to mixedrecommendations, or any combination thereof.

Further, the GUI 600 includes recommendations 608-612 corresponding to aselected indicator, such as the indicator corresponding to the outdoorsclub. Recommendations can include one or more indications that a partyassociated with the selected filtering option (e.g., a member of aselected social network) purchased the offering; one or more reviews 608by customers associated with the selected filtering option who purchasedthe product 402; one or more indications of similar products 610purchased by customers associated with the selected filtering option whoviewed the product 402; one or more related products purchased bycustomers associated with the selected filtering option who purchasedthe product 402; or any combination thereof. When the filtering optionis a social network of the visitor, one or more members of the socialnetwork can be associated with a trust level 614 or other ratingpreviously designated by the visitor. In an illustrative embodiment, aselectable indicator 616 of an option to edit a rating can be displayedin conjunction with each member identification.

Referring to FIG. 7, a diagram of a particular embodiment of a graphicaluser interface (GUI) to adjust ratings is illustrated. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 7, the GUI 700 takes the form of a pop-up windowoverlaying a product detail page. In other embodiments, the GUI 700 cantake the form of a separate page of an online site or a sidebar providedby the online site. The GUI 700 includes identifications 702 of at leastone member associated with a social network of a visitor to the onlinesite. The GUI 700 also includes a current rating, such as a currenttrust level associated with each member. Further, the GUI 700 includes agraphical tool, such as a slider bar 706, which is adjustable to edit arating associated with each member of the social network. As shown, arating can include, for instance, complete trust, moderate trust,general trust, low trust, no trust, or any combination thereof. Inaddition, the GUI 700 includes a selectable indicator 708 of an optionto tie the trust rating to a product category associated with theproduct detail page. In an illustrative embodiment, the GUI 700 includesan indicator 710 of an option to save rating levels and an indicator 712of an option to cancel the rating edit process and exit the GUI 700.

In conjunction with the configuration of structure described herein, asystem and method of providing recommendations is provided that allows avisitor to an online site to select filtered, unfiltered, or mixedrecommendations related to an offering that is available for purchasevia the online site. Allowing the visitor to select filteredrecommendations based on a social network of the visitor can reduce thenumber of recommendations output to the visitor and increase the valueof each recommendation to the visitor.

Although the present specification describes components and functionsthat may be implemented in particular embodiments with reference toparticular standards and protocols, the disclosed embodiments are notlimited to such standards and protocols. For example, standards forInternet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP,UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art. Suchstandards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficientequivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly,replacement standards and protocols having the same or similar functionsas those disclosed herein are considered equivalents thereof.

The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended toprovide a general understanding of the structure of the variousembodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a completedescription of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systemsthat utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many otherembodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from thedisclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changesmay be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may notbe drawn to scale. Certain proportions within the illustrations may beexaggerated, while other proportions may be reduced. Accordingly, thedisclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative ratherthan restrictive.

One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein,individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely forconvenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of thisapplication to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover,although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangementdesigned to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted forthe specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover anyand all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments.Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments notspecifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in theart upon reviewing the description.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R.§1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not beused to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Inaddition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may begrouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose ofstreamlining the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed toless than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Thus,the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description,with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimedsubject matter.

The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, andnot restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall withinthe true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximumextent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to bedetermined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the followingclaims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited bythe foregoing detailed description.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of providing recommendations, the methodcomprising: receiving a selection of an offering via an online site;outputting a detail page related to the offering via the online site,the detail page including selectable recommendation indicatorscorresponding to a social network for which a visitor is registered andunfiltered content; and in response to selection of the selectablerecommendation indicator, causing the display of at least onerecommendation via the detail page.